His presentation, «What’s New for Combined Transport in the EU», explored how the revised TEN-T Regulation, infrastructure capacity reforms, and military mobility requirements are shaping the future of intermodal freight.
Érsek emphasised that the European Green Deal’s objectives — competitiveness, resilience, and sustainability — depend heavily on the ability of rail and intermodal operators to work within a coherent regulatory and infrastructure framework.
He noted that combined transport remains one of the most efficient ways to decarbonise logistics, reduce dependency on oil, and enhance Europe’s industrial resilience through modal shift.
EU priorities and TEN-T requirements
According to Érsek, the new TEN-T Regulation sets out ambitious performance benchmarks for freight operations, including the expectation that 75% of border-crossing freight trains should be on time within a 30-minute window, and that 90% should complete technical and administrative border processes within 25 minutes. He said these targets will require better coordination between national programmes and rail users, along with the merging of existing freight corridors into wider European Transport Corridors.
For Eastern Europe, Érsek highlighted the urgent need to eliminate speed restrictions, enable 740-metre-long trains, increase axle loads to 22.5 tonnes, electrify key corridors, and upgrade cross-border infrastructure — including the reconstruction of the Timișoara—Belgrade line for freight operations.
Terminal capacity and regulatory reform
The UIRR representative also drew attention to the European Commission’s upcoming terminal capacity study, due by mid-2027, which will inform a wider action plan by 2028. He urged policymakers to ensure sufficient land is reserved for terminal development near railway lines and stressed the importance of improving road and rail last-mile connections.
Addressing the forthcoming Infrastructure Capacity Regulation, Érsek pointed to the need for transparent capacity allocation and compensation for excessive bypass routes, proposing penalties for last-minute path changes and freezing of allocated paths for six to twelve months to ensure reliability.
Military mobility and the dual-use of intermodal assets
Érsek noted that intermodal transport offers the most adaptable framework for integrating freight into Europe’s military mobility strategy. He proposed designating key intermodal terminals along the four main military mobility corridors and funding their last-mile upgrades.
UIRR also advocates expanding dual-use infrastructure funding to cover transhipment equipment and extending EU resilience directives to include intermodal operators.
As the discussion concluded, Érsek reaffirmed that the effectiveness of Europe’s combined transport policy will depend on the consistent alignment between regulation, infrastructure investment, and market needs — particularly in the fast-growing economies of Eastern Europe.
